Basement Waterproofing FAQ for St. Louis, MO
Homeowners in St. Louis, MO keep asking why basements get wet, what to do when a floor drain backs up, what repairs cost and how to size up a contractor. Basement Waterproofing St. Louis MO, a free referral service, answers here.
Straight Answers
These answers are general; only a contractor standing in your basement can speak to your house.
Is Basement Waterproofing St. Louis MO a contractor?
No. It is a free referral service and does no basement work. It has no contractor license from either the City of St. Louis or St. Louis County, gives no bids, signs nothing and never comes to the house. Fill in the form and your request reaches one independent local contractor, which gets in touch, visits if you agree, writes the estimate and does any job you hire it for.
Do I pay anything to send a request?
Nothing, ever. Contractors may buy advertising here, currently as a free trial. Homeowners are never billed, and nobody who asks for an estimate gets cash, a gift card, a discount or any other perk.
Why do so many basements in St. Louis take on water?
Age explains a lot. Census survey data puts the typical City home's build year around 1938, with about 58% built by 1939, many of them brick two-family and four-family flats. Underneath, wind-blown loess and clay sit above limestone across much of the region (U.S. Geological Survey), and clay can keep water pressed against a wall long after a storm.
Water rose through my floor drain. Is that a waterproofing job?
Usually not. The City and older inner suburbs have combined sewers, where rain and wastewater share pipes, many of them old brick tunnels, and a heavy storm can push that mix back up a basement drain. Report it to MSD's 24-hour line, (314) 768-6260. If a broken lateral is the cause, that pipe is the owner's; the City's Sewer Lateral Repair Program, or your County city's own program, may help.
Can MSD help after a sewer backup?
Sometimes. When MSD's own system caused the backup, MSD may repay some losses: for an overloaded sewer, up to $3,000 with a $100 deductible, if you report it within 30 days. Customers with repeated MSD-caused backups may qualify for its Sewer Backup Prevention Program, which can cover a check valve or backflow device; it won't repay a private plumber hired outside MSD's Customer Care Center. This site has no role in either.
What does basement waterproofing cost?
For a whole project, Fixr's 2026 national range runs about $3,000 to $10,000, with $5,000 near the middle. By that source, interior perimeter drains run $40 to $120 a linear foot, a new sump pump $600 to $2,500 installed, each injected crack $250 to $1,000, and waterproof paint or sealant $1 to $8 a square foot. Your own number comes from a written estimate.
How do I check out a contractor before hiring?
Missouri has no statewide contractor license, so checks are local. For a City job, ask for the firm's City business license, issued by the License Collector at (314) 622-4528; the Building Division, (314) 622-3313, takes questions about plumbers, drainlayers and permits. In the County, only master plumbers or drainlayers holding a County license can get plumbing permits, and many municipalities add a license or registration of their own.
What should the contract say, and how should I pay?
Get it all in writing before work begins: scope, drain length, pump model, discharge point, price, payment schedule, warranty terms and who pulls permits. Tie payments to progress, and pass on any deal wanting full payment up front or cash only, as the Missouri Attorney General advises. The AG's Consumer Protection hotline is 800-392-8222.
Can I back out after signing?
Often, briefly. If the sale was made in your own home, Missouri law and federal rules generally allow a written cancellation up to midnight on the third business day afterward. Weekends and holidays don't count. Keep proof of sending. A seller pressing you to sign on the spot is a reason to slow down.
Does homeowners insurance pay for a wet basement?
It depends on the policy. Sewer backups are often excluded unless the owner added a separate endorsement, and gradual seepage is frequently left out as well. Your policy, your insurer or your agent can tell you where you stand. This site has nothing to do with insurers and offers no opinion on coverage.
Didn't See Your Question?
Put anything else in the estimate form, and a single independent contractor from the area will follow up with you.